I. ˈchat, usu -ad.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English chatte catkin, from Middle French, literally, female cat, from chat cat, from Late Latin cattus; probably from its resemblance to a cat's tail — more at cat
1.
a. : the inflorescence or seed of various plants (as an ament or a samara)
b. now dialect : strobile , cone
2. dialect England : a twig or little branch suitable for kindling
3. Britain : a small inferior potato
4. : tailing 2c — often used in plural
II. verb
( chatted ; chatted ; chatting ; chats )
Etymology: Middle English chatten, short for chatteren to chatter
intransitive verb
1. : chatter , prattle
2. : to talk in a light and familiar manner : converse without ceremony or stiffness
chat about trifles
transitive verb
1. obsolete : chatter , prattle
2. dialect Britain : to talk to ; especially : to address in a tentative manner : approach
III. noun
( -s )
1. : idle unimportant talk : prattle , chatter
2.
a. : a light familiar talk
a magazine devoted to chat about the arts
especially : conversation
kept up a continual chat with the lady — Michael McLaverty
b. : an instance of such talk
a TV chat broadcast at intervals
a long chat between old friends
3.
[imitative]
: any of several songbirds: as
a. : a bird of the genus Saxicola (as the stonechat and whinchat of Europe)
b. : a bird of an Australian genus Epthianura (family Turdidae)
c. : a bird of an American genus Icteria (family Parulidae) — see yellow-breasted chat
IV. noun
: on-line discussion in a chat room ; also : an instance of such discussion
participate in computer chats